Means for burnishing or polishing interiors of pipes or tubes



(No Model.)

W. D. PORSYTH. MEANS FOR BURNISHING 0R POLISHING INTERIORS OF PIPES ORTUBES, &c.

No. 595,159. Patented Dec. 7, 1897.

M )ezhdvenror.

W itnesses Attorney.

UNrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVILBER D. FORSYTH, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

MEANS FOR BURNISHING 0R POLISHING INTERIORS OF PIPES OR TUBES, dc.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,159, dated December7, 1897.

Application filed March 6, 1897. Serial No 626,243. (No model.)

To all who-1n it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILBER D. FORSYTH, a citizen of the United States,and aresident of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Meansfor Bu rnishin g or Polishing the Interiors of Pipes, Tubes, 820.; and Ido declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichitappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, whichform a part of this specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a side elevation ofpolishing-head. Fig. 2 is a face view of one of disks with its arms andtoothed disks or wheels. Fig. 3 is a similar view with arms 0 andtoothed wheels re moved. Fig. 4 is a side view of same. Fig. 5 is aperspective view of one of arms C. Fig. 6 is a section on line 00 00,Fig. 2.

This invention has relation to means for re moving from the interior ofpipes and tubes, and especially of boiler-tubes, the die-marks,mill-scale, and other roughness or unevenness left therein incident totheir manufacture and for polishing or burnishing the same. Experiencehas shown that any roughness and inequality on the inner surface ofboiler tubes not only impedes the water circulation therethrough to agreater or less degree, but that it constitutes a nucleus for theformation and collection of scale. To provide means of practical andefficient character for removing all such roughness and inequality andbringing the inner walls of water-tubes to a high degree of smoothnessand polish, whereby not only is the circulation improved and thetendency to formation and collection of scale largely decreased, but thelife of the tubes is materially prolonged, is more particularly theobject of this invention.

With this object in view the invention consists in the novelconstruction and combination of parts, all as hereinafter described, andpointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the letter A designates apolishing or burnishing head, which is built up of a series of adjacentcircular plates or disks keyed or otherwise fixed on a central shaft 13.Iivoted to each of said plates or disks to swing in a plane paralleltherewith are a number (in the present instance three) of arms 0. To thefree end portion of each arm is journaled a toothed or serratedburnishing wheel or disk D.

In the preferred construction, as shown in the drawings, the axes O ofsaid wheels are placed obliquely with respect to the shaft, and theplanes of theiriuclination are oblique with respect to all planes whichcan be taken lengthwise through the axis of said shaft. It will be seen,therefore, that the teeth of the said wheels are caused to be brought totheir work at a peculiar angle, which I have found to be very desirablefor the reason that they cross the tool-marks left in the pipes or tubesat such an angle and in such a manner as to render their action mosteffective. It will also be noted that as a result of this arrangement,together with the manner in which the arms are pivoted-. e. to swingoutwardly at right angles to the shaft-the effect is as the arms swingoutward to make the angle of contact less acute-that is to say,when theteeth of any wheel first come in contact with an obstruction on the wallof the pipe or tube the angle of their contact is more acute than it isafter the obstruction has been partly removed and the arms therebypermitted to swing outward to a greater degree. By reason of thisfeature it will be readily seen that the teeth are prevented fromcornering in or cutting lines or marks on the inner surface of the tube.It should also be observed that no two of the axes O of the set ofwheels carried by any one plate or disk are parallel with each other andthat no two of such wheels have the same or parallel planes ofinclination. The wheels are formed with comparatively broad peripheries,and the teeth instead of having sharp cutting edges are preferably ofsmooth or non sharpened character. These teeth are also longitudinallycurved or convexed, as shown, whereby they are adapted to the curvedsurfaces of the work. In a convenient construction and that which I haveusually employed the end portions of the arms 0 are slotted obliquely,as shown at c, and the said burnishing-wheels are journaled on obliquepins 0, extending across said slots. The arms are usually pivoted onstuds C which project from the faces of the disks or plates. To limitthe play of said arms on theirpivots, each is provided with a stud ordisks or plates, I desire it understood that such head may consist ofbut one disk or plate or of any suitable number. I have, however, foundthat a tool having about eight of the disks or plates is verysatisfactory in its operation. I would also state that'I do not wish tolimit myself to a head constructed of plates or disks, as any suitablecarrier for the arms 0 and their burnishing-wheels may be employed.

The operation is as follows: The shaft B with the head A is introducedinto the pipe or tube to be operated upon and is forced through thesame, being meanwhile rotated at a high rate of speed by any suitabledriving mechanism, which forms no part of the present invention. Undercentrifugal action the arms 0 are thrown away from the center of thehead, bringing the wheels into yielding rolling contact with the surfaceof the tube. Said wheels being set at an angle, as before described,cross the lines left in the tubes by the dies and burnish or polish offall inequalities presented to their action.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a machine or implement forpolishing or burnishin g the interiorsof pipes and tubes, a head or carrier, arms pivot-ed thereto to swing inplanes at right angles to the axis of said head or carrier and carryingeach a pin or stud which is inclined with respect to said axis and Whoseplane of inclination is oblique with respect to any plane which can betaken longitudinally through the said axis, and polishing or burnishingwheels loosely journaled to said pins or studs,substantially asspecified.

2. In a machine or implement for polishing or burnishing the interiorsof pipes and tubes, a head or carrier, adapted to be moved through thepipe or tube to be operated upon and having a plurality of arms pivotedthereto, said arms being arranged in sets, and polishing or burnishingwheels journaled to the free end portions of the said arms in inclinedplanes, no two arms of any one set having their wheels in the same planeor in parallel planes of inclination, substantially as speci- 3. In amachine or implement for polishing or burnishing the interiors of pipesand tubes, a plate or disk adapted to be moved through the pipe or tubeto be operated upon, movable sections or arms loosely connected to thesaid plate or disk, and polishing or burnishing wheels journaled to thefree end portions of said arms in inclined planes and having broadnon-sharpened peripheral teeth, no two of said arms having their wheelsin the same plane or in parallel planes of inclination, substantially asspecified.

4. In a machine or implement for polishing or burnishin g the interiorsof pipes or tubes, a disk or plate adapted to be moved through the pipeor tube to be operated upon, a number of arms pivoted to the said diskor plate, and polishing or burnishing wheels journaled to the freeportions of the said arms and having each peripheral teeth of broadnon-sharpened form and longitudinally convexed, no two of said armshaving their wheels in the same plane or in parallel planes ofinclination, substantially as specified.

5. A device for polishing or burnishing the interiors of pipes andtubes, comprising a shaft, a head carried thereby, a number of armspivoted to the said head to swing outward therefrom in planes at rightangles to the said shaft and carrying each a pin or journal which isinclined with respect to said shaft and whose plane of inclination isoblique with respect to all planes which can be taken longitudinallythrough the axis of said shaft, and burnishing or polishing wheelsloosely mounted on the said pins or journals and formed with peripheralteeth having longitudinally curved or convex working edges,substantially as specified.

6. In a tool or implement for the purpose described, the combinationwith a head or carrier, of an arm pivoted thereto and having a slotextending into its free end portion in an oblique direction, a pinextending obliquely across the said slot, and a polishing or burnishingwheel mounted loosely on said pin, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

W. D. FORSY'IH.

WVitnesses:

A. O. ROWAND, Jr., H. H. RoWAND.

